UK university returns 9 skulls it acquired from Sri Lankan tribe 100 years ago
The 200-year-old bones belonged to the ancestors of the Vedda people
The University of Edinburgh has returned nine skulls it acquired a century ago from the Vedda people, a Sri Lankan tribe.
Experts say the bones are around 200 years old and belonged to the ancestors of the Vedda people, reports BBC.
A study done on the skulls by the university had previously confirmed the Vedda people's claim of being one of Sri Lanka's earliest known inhabitants.
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The skulls were presented to Vedda chief Wanniya Uruwarige at a ceremony in the university's Playfair library.
"The dead are very important in Vedda society," he said, according to the media. "Every year we hold a special ceremony to honour those who are no longer with us."
Prof Tom Gillingwater, the university's chairman of anatomy, said he was delighted to welcome the Vedda people to Edinburgh.
"We are pleased to be able to return these culturally-important artefacts to help ensure the Vedda's legacy endures for generations to come," he said.
